In the quiet evening of October 20, 2023, a dispute between roommates in a Tucker, Georgia home escalated into a fatal encounter. James Broadnax, a 35-year-old male, was shot and killed by his roommate and co-worker, 25-year-old Cedric Collins of Greensboro, North Carolina. The events leading to the shooting began with an argument at their shared residence.
Following the verbal altercation, both Broadnax and Collins left the house in separate vehicles.
Collins later claimed to police that he felt threatened when he noticed Broadnax following him, and that he shot his roommate in self-defense. However, investigators noted that Collins never alleged that Broadnax was armed or had made any threats of deadly force. The evidence at the scene painted a grim picture of the final moments of the confrontation.
DeKalb County police were dispatched to the 3100 block of Westwood Drive around 8:30 p.m. after receiving multiple 911 calls about a shooting. Upon arrival, they found Broadnax motionless in the passenger seat of a burgundy Dodge Charger. The car was still running, and the doors were locked. The driver's side window and door were riddled with multiple bullet holes, and police recovered 16 shell casings from the area. It was later determined that Collins had emptied the entire magazine of his firearm into Broadnax's vehicle.
Cedric Collins was arrested and stood trial for the murder of James Broadnax. The jury found him guilty of malice murder, felony murder, aggravated assault, and possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony. He was subsequently sentenced to life in prison, with an additional five years to be served.
